Lori's 2014 Reading Challenge

[Lori]

I initially was going for a minimum of 12 books for this year's challenge but, I thought I'd give myself more of a challenge and go for 25-50 books in 2014.

I'm currently reading 1. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, and the next 5 books I chose are:

2. Kindred by Octavia Butler
3. Animal Farm by George Orwell
4. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
5. Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski
6. Black Boy by Richard Wright

I'll add to the list as as I go. We'll see what happens!

**Edit: After seeing another member doing the 50/50 Challenge (books & movies) I thought I'd change up my own challenge and do this for 2014.

[Bouchra]

I just finished Animal Farm. It's a light read, <150 pages, and it's quite interesting. I hope you enjoy it!

Good luck with your goals, Lori!

[Kassandra]

Best of luck Lori. I really enjoyed Gone Girl, I hope you do as well!

[Lori]

Thanks Bouchra & Kassandra! I'll classify Animal Farm as a re-read because I read it back in high school but, my memory of it is hazy.

And so far I like Gone Girl. I 'think' I know what's happening but I probably don't haha.

[Amber]

For me the first half of gone girl was really slow but then the second half really picked up....not sure I liked the end but......

[Lori]

Amber wrote: "For me the first half of gone girl was really slow but then the second half really picked up....not sure I liked the end but......"

Yeah, I feel the same way about the book Amber. I really enjoyed the second half and getting into the 'real' Amy's psyche. I don't hate the ending but I don't love it, but I'm not sure what else could have been added. Thoughts?

[Lori]

50/50 Challenge

Books:
1. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
2.
3.
4.
5.

Movies:
1. The Constant Gardener
2.
3.
4.
5.

[Luffy Sempai]

Great choice for the movie Lori! The Constant Gardener is one that I rated 10/10. I've seen 900 movies and it's one of only 35 movies that I've given a perfect score.

EDIT : It may turn out that you didn't like the movie after all, hahaha.

[Lori]

Luffy wrote: "Great choice for the movie Lori! The Constant Gardener is one that I rated 10/10. I've seen 900 movies and it's one of only 35 movies that I've given a perfect score.

EDIT : It may turn out that y..."

Lol well, I did like the movie Fluffy. The same director did City of God which I liked and which The Constant Gardener has similar visual styles (among other things) with which are obvious. I'm stuck in the 7/10 - 10/10 range for this movie. The issue I had with City of God is the same one I have with The Constant Gardener: the geographic and racial exploitation. I'm still digesting the film and firguring out what I'll rate it.

Excuse the ramble :P

Aside: What are the 35 films?

[Luffy Sempai]

I watched City of God too! Very good movie. I watched it at a time when I was still in love with films.

Here are the other 34 films...
01. 12 Angry Men
02. Adaptation
03. Alien
04. Aliens
05. Billy Madison
06. Cashback
07. City Lights
08. Clerks
09. Die Hard
10. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
11. High Noon
12. Jackie Brown
13. Barry Lyndon
14. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
15. Schindler's List
16. How's Moving Castle
17. The Silence of the Lambs
18. Grave of the Fireflies
19. Spirited Away
20. Jaws
21. Corpse Bride
22. My Neighbor Totoro
23. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
24. Mononoke Hime
25. Pulp Fiction
26. Reservoir Dogs
27. Se7en
28. Lucky Number Slevin
29. Speed
30. Star Wars
31. Taxi Driver
32. The Usual Suspects
33. True Romance
34. Groundhog Day

[Inkeri]

You're doing the 50/50 challenge too! Yay!

[Lori]

Luffy wrote: "I watched City of God too! Very good movie. I watched it at a time when I was still in love with films.

Here are the other 34 films...
01. 12 Angry Men
02. Adaptation
03. Alien
04. Aliens
05. Bil..."

You stopped loving films? :/ That sucks. Don't think I could. I love that Jackie Brown's on your list. Also Spirited Away. I haven't finished the whole thing but what I saw I really enjoyed and was swept away and charmed completely by.

[Lori]

Inkeri wrote: "You're doing the 50/50 challenge too! Yay!"

I am and so excited by it! Got the challenge from you so thanks =) We should check in on each other's challenge to see how we're doing & possibly get some recommendations because I think we're the only ones doing this challenge.

[Amber]

awesome Lori! Have fun. ^_^

[Luffy Sempai]

Lori wrote: "You stopped loving films? :/ That sucks. Don't think I could. I love that Jackie Brown's on your list. Also Spirited Away. I haven't finished the whole thing but what I saw I really enjoyed and was swept away and charmed completely by. "

Yes, the new direction being taken by big budget movies has alienated me. Conversely, Indie movies too have lost their hold on me, by virtue of their weirdness and the fact that the more I watched, the more aware I was that I was missing large chunks of references.

[Inkeri]

Lori wrote: I am and so excited by it! Got the challenge from you so thanks =) We should check in on each other's challenge to see how we're doing."

I'm excited by it too! We should definitely check in on each other and give support when needed. :)

[Holly, That Geeky One]

If you want to make a general '50/50 thread' or a film thread to discuss that part of your challenges, feel free to do so!

I'd personally love to do the 50/50 challenge, but I'm more of a TV person :) good luck to you!

[Inkeri]

Holly wrote: "If you want to make a general '50/50 thread' or a film thread to discuss that part of your challenges, feel free to do so!"

That's a great idea! I think I might just do it!

[Lori]

Holly wrote: "If you want to make a general '50/50 thread' or a film thread to discuss that part of your challenges, feel free to do so!

I'd personally love to do the 50/50 challenge, but I'm more of a TV perso..."

Thank you Holly! And it looks like Inkeri made the 50/50 thread herself so that's great. Thanks for that suggestion.

[Luffy Sempai]

Inkeri wrote: "That's a great idea! I think I might just do it!"

Then please just do it. I'd like to view your reviews.

[Inkeri]

Luffy wrote:"Then please just do it. I'd like to view your reviews."

I did do it! 50/50 Challenge

[Luffy Sempai]

Really? Those hyperlinked movie titles lead to imdb only...

[Inkeri]

Luffy wrote: "Really? Those hyperlinked movie titles lead to imdb only..."

That's true.

I'll add my reviews on my blog every Sunday. I'll make sure to give you the links when I've reviewed them on the 50/50 Challenge thread. How does that sound?

[Luffy Sempai]

Sounds good. Let's see if you remember. If not, there'll be no other way of getting to them. It's not as if there's a search engine that...Nevermind. I bookmarked your site anyway. I just didn't know when you'll upload your reviews. Now I know.

[Rob]

This sounds like fun. Perhaps next year, I will start a challenge where I read the book and then watch the corresponding movie. Best of luck on both goals.

[Lori]

Rob wrote: "This sounds like fun. Perhaps next year, I will start a challenge where I read the book and then watch the corresponding movie. Best of luck on both goals."

Thank you Rob! I think you should definitely do that when you have the time and if you really love movies. Best of luck with your challenge!